Note-accenting device for musical instruments.



T. P. BROWN.

NOTE AGCENTING DEVIOE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24 1909.

Patented Nov, 30, 1909.

T. P. BROWN.- NOTE AGGENTING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2.4. 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

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.0 Fw if 4 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEiioE.

THEonoE-E 1?. BROWN, 01? ORC S ER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOIR. To SIMPLEXP ano PLAYER co., WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

l 1 0 all whom it may concern:

NOTE-ACGENTING D VICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 30, 1909.

Application filed April 24, 1909. Serial No. 491,958.

Be it known that I, THEODORE P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Vorcester, in-the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Note-Accenting Device forMusical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

- .This invention relates to a device for accenting notesof a pneumaticmusical instrument.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide'meansdepending-upon the control of the length of the hammer stroke todetermine the force of the blow in connection with the selection of thetime by means of perforations in the music sheet.

a To this end the invention comprises a construction in which the hammerrail either as a whole or in sections is movably mounted so asto-control the length of the strokes of the hammers, and in which when aspecial music sheet adapted for this instrument is to be used, the restrail is moved up, preferably by manual means, and old in position -toshorten the strokes of the hammer.

Pneumatic means controlled from extra channels 1n the tracker are usedfor restoring the rest rail to normal position when the extraperforations come over the extra nels so as to accent single notes.

While other constructions may be employed, it is preferred to have thehammer rail divided in two parts one for the treble chanand the otherfor the bass, and to have two "extra tracker channels, one to' controleach section of the rail.

Further objects and advantages of the invention'will appear hereinafter.Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in-whichfim K Figure1 is a perspective view of certain I portions of a pneumatic musicalinstrument showing how this invention can be applied thereto;and Fig. 2is a side elevation partly -in section of one end of the same on 611-larged scale.

The hammer rest rail in the present iii-- stance is shown as beingdivided lnto two fio isections 10 and 11, one for the bass and the otherfor the treble.

Each ofthese sections is mounted on pivoted arms 12 and they areintended to be normally 7 shown in Fig. 2 in dotted lines so as to allowin the position the hammers 13. to give a stroke of full length on thestrings 14. In order to raise one of the sections or the below the arms12 is a rod 20 connected with themovable leaf of a pneumatic 21. Thispneumatic is shown as provided with a suction chamber 22 and valve 23controlled whole hammer rest-rail if the latter is not from a conduit 24which communicates with an'extra channel 25 in a tracker 26.

The operation of the device is as follows :When a music roll 27 adaptedfor use on this instrument is put in the inst rue ment the rod 17 ispulled down ill any desired way and held in its lowermost position. Anydesired mechanism can be used for this purpose, and for the sake ofsimplicity a stationary pin 270 is shown entering a notch 28 ill therod. This holds the arms 12 up in dotted position in Fig. 2 so as toshorten the stroke of all the hammers controlled by that sectionof therest rail, but when an extra .peiforation 30 in the music sheetregisters with the channel 25, air will be admitted to operate the valve23 and allow the pneumatic 21 to communicate with the suction chamber.This will draw'therod20 down and bring the hammer rest rail section backto normal position as indicated, in full lines in Fig. 2; thus accentingall the notes which are played while that perforation is incommunication with the channel 25. In this way the hammer rest railmomentarily resumes its normal position so as 1; to permit a hard blowto be struck, the rod 17 all the. time retaining its position as shownin dotted lines. This motion is per mitted' by the yielding of thespring 18 which is distended by the pneumatic 21 at this time. -When theperforation in the music-sheet passes beyond the channel 25 the spring 18 elevates the armsL12 to the dotted line position.

Although this device is shown as applied to a hammer rest rail dividedso that the bass and treble are operated separately, it will beunderstood that it can be applied to a continuous rest rail or onedivided up in any other way.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiment of theinvention, I am aware that nany modifications may be made therein by anyperson skilled 1n the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in'the claims. Therefore I do not Wish to belimited to all the details of construction shown and described, but

WVhat I do claim is 1. In a musical instrument, the combination'With thehammers, a movable hammer rest rail, of yielding means positivelyconnected With the rest rail for holding said rest rail in position toshorten the stroke of the hammers, and pneumatic means controlled fromthe tracker for moving the rest rail back to increase the length of thestroke;

2. In a musical instrument, the combination with the hammers, strings,and a movable hammer rest rail, of manuallypperated means for movingsaid rest rail toward the strings to shorten the stroke and holding itin that position, said means having a yielding con nection, and apneumatic. tor positivelymov.

ing the rest rail back to lengthen the stroke.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination of a movable hammer restrail, a link connected therewith and having a spring therein, a leverconnected with said link beyond the spring, and means conceded the leverfor holding the link and rest in elevated position.

4:. In a musical instiin'nent, the combination of a movable hammer restrail, a link connected therewith and having a spring thereimalevenconnected with said link beyond the soring, means connected withthe lever for holding the linlz and rest rail in elevated position, andpneumatic connected with the rest rail and s pied to pull it"down inopposition to the spring; the pneumatic is collapsed.

5.111 a musical instrument, the ;(ii!l)ll121- tion of a movable hammerrest rail, means positively connected with the rest-rail io; yieldinglyholding it up in position 1o shorten the stroke, and pneumatic positively connected with the rest-rail and adaptedto depress it When thepneumatic is co]- lapsed.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand, in the presence twosubscribing Witnesses.

THEO E l. Slit )YF f? l' Vitnesses:

A. E. FAY, C. F. it Essen.

